Hogmanay Security in Edinburgh

Hogmanay door staff in Edinburgh

On Hogmanay a venue's door is busiest in the hours either side of midnight. Door staff check tickets, wristbands or the guest list, manage the queue and keep the venue within its capacity. After midnight they deal with guests leaving and new arrivals from elsewhere, and stay until the venue closes.

Each shift has a supervisor and the venue has a named On Guard contact for the night. Our founder, Dean Waters, has over 15 years in the security industry, including licensed premises and large-scale events.

Venues near the street party area

On 31st December the official street party takes over Princes Street and the streets around it, with road closures across the city centre. Published event information lists ticketed entrances at Bank Street and the top of The Mound, the east end of Princes Street and the West End at South Charlotte Street. Gates open at 8pm, last entry is 11pm and the fireworks are at midnight.

Source: Edinburgh's Hogmanay, "Street Party event information" (edwinterfest.com)..

Venues in the Old Town, New Town and West End have guests moving around the closures and large crowds before and after midnight. Door cover is planned around where your venue sits and the event timings.

Edinburgh's festive licensing policy lets premises with the festive variation in their operating plan trade up to two hours past their normal terminal hour, until 2nd January.

Source: TLT, December 2024.

Private Hogmanay parties and ceilidhs

A private Hogmanay party or ticketed ceilidh still needs a controlled door, with guests checked in and uninvited arrivals kept out. On Guard provides door staff for parties at hotels, halls, function rooms and homes, and for ticketed ceilidhs, and they help close the event at the agreed time. For parties earlier in December, see Christmas party security in Edinburgh. Venues in the west can see New Year's Eve security in Glasgow.

Ticketed events can add bag searches, handheld wands or P1 knife arch hire, with a written security plan covering staffing, positions, search policy and incident escalation. Larger events are planned the same way as our event security in Edinburgh.

Hogmanay security staff and equipment

• SIA licensed door supervisors, with a supervisor on every shift
• Queue and capacity management through the midnight peak
• Ticket, wristband or guest list checks for arrivals after midnight
• Bag searches and handheld wands where needed
• P1 knife arch hire with optional SIA operators
• Liaison with venue management on the night
• A written security plan for larger or ticketed events

Booking and prices

Hogmanay venues differ in size, hours and search needs, so we do not publish rates. Get in touch with the venue, the start and finish times, expected numbers and whether you are trading to festive hours, by WhatsApp on +44 7348 955836 or email dean@onguardsecurity.uk. We learn about the venue and your requirements, then send a tailored quotation and security plan.

The price depends on the number of door staff, the hours, any search equipment and the notice given. A holiday surcharge may apply on Hogmanay and New Year's Day, and to late shifts. Book as soon as you can; if your door team falls through on the night, see our last minute and emergency security guards.

How it works

1. Get in touchWhatsApp or email us with your location, dates and what you need covered.
2. Site auditWe learn about your site or event: layout, entry points, risks and timings.
3. Tailored planYou receive a written quotation and a security or loss prevention plan.
4. Deployment and reportingSIA licensed officers on site, supervised, with records you can check.